Constipation. Will I be battling it for the rest of my life?

[SqueakyWheel&Ethyl 160]

I'm post-op Day 18. I took a Correctol two days ago with minimal results. Before surgery, one of those little pink pills kept me camped out by a bathroom for an entire day. I'm reluctant to take another. I hate liquid meds, but am considering MoM. After all the healing is complete, should I expect Constipation to be a permanent situation I must build a bowel program around?

[No game 14,437]

For most of us it was a problem for several months after surgery.. High Protein diet not much fiber...

At 5 months its a lot better.

in those early days? I took Fiber supplements and stool softeners daily.

[SerendipityHappens 1,594]

Being constipated was quite a shock to me.. I've never EVER in my entire adult life been constipated until after my sleeve surgery..I went from being a 3 a day girl to not moving for nearly a week... it was quite the rude awakening!

I'm now 7 weeks out and fortunate enough to be tolerating all foods. My movements are MUCH more regular now that I'm eating veggies and including 2 Tablespoons of chia seeds in my afternoon lemon Water. I don't go three times a day anymore, but I go almost every day without discomfort.

[Sydney Susan 333]

Benefiber and Water, agree with stool softeners (but no senna or other laxatives), Movicol and perhaps even Microlax (5ml enema) will help get things started. Aside from the small amounts of food and Water you are eating in these early days, you are less active, have had at least some painkillers (which are notorious for slowing the bowel down) and just having surgery at all affects some people's insides. It will get better but keep on top of it. I earned myself a large rectocele after severe Constipation following a huge abdominal op (for cancer) 6 years - I'll have to manage that for the rest of my life. But no one told me anything about how to safely address constipation post-operatively and how damaging it could be... just "more fibre, no laxatives".

For the record, and because this is an important topic we should all talk about much more:

1. Once you get constipated "more fibre" harms more than it helps

2. Water is ALWAYS your friend

3. Stool softeners without senna or other laxatives are safe to use frequently and long term (my bowel surgeon says "daily" but always wise to check with your bariatric surgeon)

4. The lower end of your bowel dries out and even if you've managed to soften the rest of it, a gentle 5ml enema or suppository can help get things started. It doesn't cure the constipation though, so needs to be combined with something else.

[sarahzamudio1091 185]

coffee !!!

[lsereno 2,525]

I did well with Colace Stool Softener. It's not a problem now and hasn't been for a long time.

Lynda

[mikeross 216]

I had it bad the first month... so bad I was this close to going to the ER. Anyways, I have found many ways to keep regular but now almost 4 months post op I just eat a salad a day along with a fiber one bar... I have a BM almost daily... very regular now with no pain whatsoever. Its been almost 3 months with no Constipation issues.